Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-05-14
WOman's Vacations.

How shall earn living. is fast becom-
ing an important question to the women
and girls OF to-day. In too many instances
the question is proposed by some sudden
and unexpected calamity that befalls them
They hopelessIy look abort and meet
with disappointment. They attempt this
and that, and are forced to give up the
undertaking. They think themselves the
most wre,ched beings on earth, and sadly
bemoan the fate of being a woman. What
their grandmothers once did, can no longer
be done by women. The old employ
ments are gone. machinery has taken the
place of hands and narrowed, seemingly,
the sphere of woman's work
In other countries, the question has be-
come a serious one. 1t has become a
question of bread alone; and not only
bread for one but for others. for a moth
er must help support the family. The
necessity attached to their situation has
forced them to engage in such grades of
employment "a would not, at present. be
attempted by women on this side of the
Atlantic. Here the question is different.
1t is not simply bread to those who are
considering this problem. 1t includes
more-and the more costs greater than
the bread. The trouble arises in the in
ability of women to retain the same COM
forts aud surroundings enjoyed by those
OF the preceding generation.
There seem to be two chief causes for
this state of affairs. In the first place.
the voca,ons which we're formerly held
by women have been usurped by men.
Spinning. weaving, embroidering. lace
making. dyeing, butter and cheese making,
and many other emplo, ments. once at
forded them satisfactory compensation.
Now machinery operated by men is fast
dispensing with the services of women.
The trouble does not end here. The pro-
ducts OF machinery do not equal in quality
and utility the productions which were
once turned out by the skillful hands of in
uuslTiOuS NOutu. uC uCuunuu hOi CuCup
labor. in consequence, lessons their
chances for so often as men are substi
tuted to perform work once done by
women, so often are women forced lower
down in the scale of work and of re :
muneraton. In the second place. girls
in their rearing and education. are not
ID Tod notnrally or ~ flctolly IN
form work which they should do. From
infancy, they are petted and spoiled.
they are instructed in fancy work instead of
the necessary household duties which de-
volve upon their sex; they are taught infe
rior music. poor painting. uniptelligable
French and German. instead of the
practical elements of education.
Physically. they are weak-they lack
energy-they become dependent. Thus
directly by their inability to perform and
indirectly by the usurpation OF their former
vocations are women compelled to care
fully consider the problem of livelihood.
OF course it is impossible to undo all
that has been done during these years of
rapid changes and beside. these occupa-
tons are already crowded with operatives
Men have long enough. been invading
woman's sphere of work. It is time that
women became the aggressive party. In
order to do this radical change in the
rearing and educating our girls must
be made. More OF the useful and less Of
the ornamental must enter into their de-
velopment Naturally. woman is capable
Of many things that are beyond the ability
of man to perform to that degree of nicely
which is demanded. Telegraphy, short
hand. bookkeeping. type-setting. account
ing, designing. engraving. etc., etc.. now
performed mostly BY men can be and have
been performed better by women.
It is as necessary that women should have